presidential biographer nigel hamilton discusses his new book, "american caesaers" about the 12th u.s. president since world war ii. the award winning author of jfk reckless youth and the two volume biography bill clinton examines each man's path to the white house and his particular strengths and weaknesses. he also takes a close look at the more challenging issues of each administration and the fashion in which the president tackled them. he speaks with fellow historian and author, richard norton smith. >> host: nigel hamilton come author of "american caesaers," you have spent a lifetime thinking about and practicing the art of biography. this book is among other things maybe he group biography of the last 12 american presidents. what do you think a biographer owes his subject? >> guest: if the first thing he always is truth. also i think he knows, or she knows, a great degree of curiosity. i think it is fatal for the biographer to going to be project with a set opinion and i think a biographer needs to have an open mind and clearly you need some new driving interest but i think you

residential author, nigel hamilton discusses his new book, american caesars about the 12 u.s. presidents since world war ii. the award-winning author of jfk reckless youth and the two volume biography of bill clinton and examines each man's path to the white house and his particular strengths and weaknesses. he also takes a close-up of the more challenging issues of each administration and the fashion in which the president tackled them. he speaks with fellow historian and author, richard norton smith. >> host: nigel hamilton, author of american caesars. you have spent a lifetime thinking about and practicing the art of biography. this book is among other things may be grouped biography of the last 12 american presidents. when you think a buyer for both his substitute? >> guest: the first thing he does is true. also, i think he owes -- or she, a degree of curiosity. i think it's fatal for the biographer to go into a project with the said opinion. i think the biographer needs to have an open mind and clearly you need some driving interest of curiosity. but i think you've got to

presidential biographer nigel hamilton discusses his new book "american caesars," about the the u.s.residents since -- 12 u.s. presidents since world war ii. the award-winning author of the two-school yule biography, bill clinton, examines eachman's path to the white house and his particular strengths and weaknesses. he also takes a close look at the more challenging issues of each administration and the fashion in which the president tackled them. he speaks with fellow historian and author richard norton smith. >> host: nigel hamilton, author of "american caesars." you have spent a lifetime thinking about and practicing the art of biography. this book is, among other things, maybe a group biography of the last 12 american presidents. what do you think a biographer owes his summit? subject? >> guest: i think the first thing he owes is truth. also i think he owes -- or she -- a degree of curiosity. i think it's fatal for the biographer to go into a project

this weekend on "after words," nigel hamilton profiles the 12 u.s. presidents elected since world war ii. he's interviewed by presidential his story richard norton smith this weekend on booktv on c-span2. >> every weekend booktv brings you 48 hours of history, biography and public affairs. here's a portion of one of our programs. >> in addition to a questionnaire that covered a wide variety of background items, the member were asked to imagine the nation's history from 1966 to the end of the century. in other words, the year 2000. and so they were looking ahead for 34 years and imagining what they perceived or what they were viewing as what would happen to our country for the remainder of the century. and the graduate student who was doing this study, richard bromguard, was surprised by what he described as the belief of yaf members that a continued rift to socialism and moral decay would be reversed in the near future by an awakening of the american people resulting and moving the train of events back to common sense. he also surveyed members of stu

. >> this weekend on "after words" biographer nigel hamilton profiles the 12th u.s.residents, their motivations, achievements command failures. he is interviewed by richard norton smith this weekend on book tv on c-span2. >> the c-span network to provide coverage of politics, public affairs in american history all available on television, radio, on line, and social media networking sites. find our content any time. and we take c-span of the road with our digital bus and local content vehicle. it is washington your way now available in more than 100 million homes created by cable, provided as a public service. >> the next three hours is your chance to participate in a discussion with all of author and columnist jonah goldberg. a syndicated column carried by newspapers nationwide. the pulitzer prize nominee is a columnist is author of new york times best-seller liberal fascism and editor of proud to be right. >> you write that fascism is a religion of the state. what do you mean? >> guest: nice to be here. what i mean by that is that it is -- i did much of my thinking

. >> this weekend on "after words," biographer nigel hamilton profiles the 12 u.s. presidents elected since world war ii, their personalities, motivations, achievements and failures. he's interviewed by presidential historian richard norton smith this weekend on booktv on c-span2. >> history, biography and public affairs. you're watching booktv on c-span2. tonight on booktv: >> every weekend booktv brings you 48 hours of history, biography and public affairs. here's a portion of one of our programs. >> hi. who do you think would be the best choice for our next republican candidate for president? [laughter] with a real chance to win and even though i think john mccain's a good american, would make the best candidate? >> i, i really, you know, i have this thing on my show called the duck of the day, and i know my producers are rolling on c-span, and they're going to get me with the duck of the day. i don't know who the best person is right now, but here is my answer. i'm not worried about that yet. i know everyone wants the next, you know, the next reagan to walk in t

this weekend, nigel hamilton talked about the motivation, achievement, and their years. he is interviewed by richard norton smith prad. >> this year documentary competition is in full swing. they tied to a man and video. we did make a five to 8 minute video. upload your video before the deadline in january 20 to win the grand prize. there is $50,000 in total prices. it is open to the middle and high school students. for all the rules, go online to studentcam.org. >> nancy pelosi has announced she will run for the minority leader's position we talk to the capitol hill reporter about upcoming changes in the house socratic leadership op. >> we have heard and nancy pelosi will be seek to remain the leader. >> she is been talking to members of her caucus. and number of them are close allies including george miller. they are taking the temperature of other members but sheep pills like she has sufficient support to do this. >> who might challenge her to do this? congressman suggested he would offer himself as an opponent to her. i do not think there will be any serious challeng

. >> this weekend, biographer nigel hamilton profiles the 12 president-elect is since world war ii -- their personalities, motivations, achievements, and failures. he is interviewed by a presidential historian. in this weekend on book tv on c- span2. >> saturdays, landmark supreme court cases on c-span radio. >> we always call this a voluntary statute. there is nothing voluntary about the bible reading. >> in part two of the abington school district versus edward schempp. he felt student should not be required to read from the bible before class. friday at 6:00 p.m. eastern on c-span radio. washington, d.c., 90.1, nationwide xm channel 32 and online at c-span radio.org. "washington journal" continues. >> louis jacobson is our guest from "governing" magazine and staff writer for politifact. what we will do is look at results in state legislatures. here is the headline from a piece you wrote. historic gains for gop. give me the scope. guest: well, really, it measures up to the gains from 1994 and from 1974, the post-watergate year. we have 19 gop takeover is so far. that could grow up t

it's hard to believe we are just nigel hamilton, this is one fascinating. we took one on afternoon. the book is called american caesars come alive for the president with resident roosevelt to george w. bush. highly recommended. thank you so much. >> guest: it's been a pleasure. >> up next, in depth with jonah goldberg, the editor at large of review it on an american enterprise might say syndicated column. a pulitzer prize nominated columnist is the author of "the new york times" bestseller, transport and editor of "proud to be right." >> host: jonah goldberg, in trade for, you write that fascism is a religion of there state. >> guest: first of all, nice to be here.ea what i mean by that is it is -- alain much of my thinking fromb mcclellan. he believes that all of the progressive totalitarianisms of, the 20th century, progressivism, fascism, th socialism, go down the list of ais sons were all in effect what he called a political religion.d really be religion by other means, in effect. .. be, you know, in some manifesto somewhere. it is sort of an emotional orientation towards politi